Abstract:
The author explores a number of theoretical and practical issues
concerning classification of remote electronic resources. The
necessity to catalog electronic resources has raised questions
regarding including and classifying them in library catalogs.
Analysis of current cataloging decisions indicates that there is no
single standard that has been formed. Some libraries assign
classification numbers to remote electronic resources and others do
not. Theoretical discussions of cataloging librarians show that there
are a number of important issues related to using classification for
the cataloging of electronic materials. The traditional purpose of
classification for locating physical objects on the shelves loses its
function in the case of remote electronic resources. The other
function of classification, categorization, is more useful in the case
of electronic resources, as it promotes the role of classification as a
subject-organizing tool. Attempts at using library classification
schemes in order to organize electronic resources has moved
beyond the realm of libraries and their catalogs. Information
scientists, database developers, and specialists in information
retrieval have explored library classification abilities in organizing
information on the Internet, in order to improve browsing and
subject searching. Several projects have proven that such
classification systems as Dewey Decimal Classification, Universal Decimal Classification, and Library of Congress Classification can be
useful in describing, organizing, and retrieving electronic resources.